Healing Hearts (Sequel)

Summary: Castle and Kate are faced with a tragic obstacle. How do they cope? The story maybe a little too dark in the beginning, but I promise a happy ending.

Chapter 1

AN: If you haven't read Healing Hearts before this, I suggest you read that one first and then get to this, cause this one's a sequel :) trust me, that's a good read too :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Castle.

Chapter 1

Rick Castle walked around the kitchen island to where his wife was cooking up a few omelettes, he put his arms around her and kissed her cheek softly saying "Good morning Mrs. Castle!"She placed two omelettes on two plates in front of her and the turned her head a bit to kiss those talented lips.

"Mmm" she hummed "Good morning"he kissed her some more and his hand wandered down to her pregnant belly, she was now 6 month's pregnant and she was glowing. Her beauty only seemed to increase with each day. She turned in his arms to face him, and he kissed her some more

"did she wake you this morning?" he asked.

Kate laughed. "Yea, she beat you to it."

The past few weeks, it wasn't rare that their little girl in Kate's womb would kick against Kate's tummy early in the morning and wake her up. And Kate would try to calm her down by humming a soft lullaby.

"I think I'm getting old"

Kate laughed again "No, you were tired. I gave you a hard time yesterday, didn't I?"

He looked at her

"I'm sorry"

The earlier evening, she had kept castle on his toes. They had hardly reached home after a long tiring day at the precinct and Kate was hungry as hell. Castle quickly cooked up something he knew she'd like, but by the time it was ready, Kate had a craving for Chinese take-out.

And castle was never one to deny her something. The only task was that the place she wanted to eat from, didn't deliver and so he had to go pick the food up himself. When he came back, Kate was in the kitchen, eating some of the food he had cooked up for her earlier.

"Sorry, I got really hungry"she said to him with a smile. He smiled back. He knew she'd still eat the Chinese. She was eating for two.

"That's alright; you want to eat the Chinese now? Or later?"

"I think I'll eat later"

she was already in her PJs completely comfortable and at home. He kept the food in the kitchen and then went to their room to change and get into something comfortable too. When he came back out, Kate was on the couch, struggling to adjust the pillows behind her back. He walked up to her and said

"let me" she smiled and he set them just the way she needed.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm okay, it's just my feet are killing me"

"here, let me give them a massage, you'll feel better" he sat at the other end of the couch and took her feet on his lap

"Castle, don't you want to eat, aren't you hungry?"

"I'm alright, I can eat later. You just relax"

Kate looked at him with eyes of love. He was undoubtedly the best husband any pregnant woman could have. And he was all hers.

When his thumbs pressed into her heal, she let her head fall back; her eyes close and a soft relieved moan left her lips. He concentrated more on pressing that part of her foot then.

"You should really apply for that leave now Kate. I can see you need it"

she looked up at him "I'm alright Castle. I won't need that leave until maybe another few weeks"

"No Kate, why can't you understand, all this strain can't be good for you or her"

Kate's face changed then, she sat up straighter, pulled her feet away from his hands and put them down and said

"I'm alright, thanks." She then got up and went through his study and into their bedroom. And Castle knew he had upset her again. This topic had been a very sensitive one. Every time he tried to bring it up, tried to tell her to apply for leave, she'd argue that it wasn't time yet, and then if he tried to refute some more, she'd get upset with him.

He ran a hand down his face. He had no intention of upsetting her, really. He got up and walked in behind her. He was really tired and his body ached for sleep.

"Kate..." he called out just before entering the room. She was seated in their bed, reading a book. She looked up at him.

"I didn't mean to…"

"Rick, what time did Avril say she'll be home?"

He looked at his watch, it was almost 10pm. Just then he heard the front door open and close.

"Mom, Dad?" I'm home!"

"In here, Avril" he called out and then turned back to Kate.

"She's home"

Avril came to his side and hugged him and said "Alexis called me, said she couldn't get through to you, said she'll be at the morgue another hour and to not wait up for her."

"Oh okay." He kissed her head and then she ran to go sit beside her mom.

Kate kept her book away and Avril plopped herself beside her "So, how was your little study date"

"was good. How was your day? Did you guys catch him?"

"He's behind bars"

"was it you? Or dad?"

"Your dad found the missing puzzle piece this time"

"Awesome" she said with that proud gleam in her eyes.

Castle then walked towards the bathroom. He needed to take a shower. So he gave mother and daughter some alone time.

When he got done, he came out to find their bed empty and he could hear laughter from the living room. He walked out to find them on the couch watching a movie together.

He joined them then with his plate and two other plates for them served with the Chinese take-out he had bought. But even before he could take his first bite, Kate said "I'm not feeling too hungry yet Castle."

"OH… okay..." he kept his plate down on the table and took hers back to the kitchen. They spent the next half hour watching the movie together, until Avril yawned and said she had to get to bed, she kissed them both goodnight, and went up to her room to sleep.

Castle turned to Kate and said "Are you feeling hungry now honey?"

"Rick, why are you forcing me to do things I don't want to?" she snapped.

He was startled with her sudden outburst "No, I'm not... I mean... I just…"

"I'm alright. Just stop being so paranoid" she said firmly to him.

Why did her moods swing only with him? He wondered.

She then got up and held her back. He wanted to ask her if she's in any pain, but he knew it would make things worse if he spoke. So he just kept watching her. She stood for a moment and then said

"I'm going to bed. Goodnight"

she walked off. Castle sighed. He then went into the kitchen, cleared up the place and finally entered their bedroom. Kate was lying down, Facing the other way. He got in bed with her and said "Kate?"

She turned to him and he said "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to upset you"

immediately, without even a word, she scooted closer to him and snuggled up to him. "I'm really tired"

"I know... sleep baby. I love you. I love you both"

And he felt her smile against him as she drifted off to sleep.

He was suddenly roused from his sleep when he felt movement in the bed. He opened his eyes, and squinted in the darkness to find Kate getting out of bed. Immediately he sat up, panic growing within him "Kate?"

She turned to find him awake "Go back to sleep castle. I'm fine" she said with a smile. And he breathed a sigh of relief."I'm just... hungry"

"Wait, don't get up"he quickly got out of bed and said "I'll get you something. You just stay put."

She didn't argue with him. He came back with a plate of food for her, and insisted that he feed her. She saw the tiredness in his eyes and she really felt bad now for the way she'd been treating him all evening.

Here he was, feeding her dinner in the middle of the night. Doing things for her she could really do herself just because he didn't want her to upset her rest. But what about his? Why does he keep sacrificing his comfort for her? Right, he was Richard Castle. The sweetest husband in the world.

When he returned back after washing the plate and keeping everything back in place, he said "Alexis is fast asleep. I went to check on her before coming back in here"

"I was wondering what time she'd get home." Kate said.

He crawled back into bed then and she wasted no time in showing him just how much she appreciates him. She leaned in a little over him and kissed him with passion. And he responded with just as much love as she poured out. And they made love until sleep took over them again.

SandraHan1:
This story is very descriptive, with vivid scenes from the very beginning, which made for a good scene setting. I love the symbolism in names, such as “Naysayers”, “Hadd”, etc . The story itself is revolutionary, intriguing, emotional and exciting. I was very pleased to see that there is a happy ...

Laraine Smith:
My only suggestion on the grammar is to use www.grammarcheck.net. I have it bookmarked on Google Chrome. I see myself in the determination in this beautiful story! I have Cerebral Palsy, and I have dreams that I have been working hard for, too! The humor made me laugh!

zoheusher20:
What more can I say? The writing style and little details drew me into the book and for the entirety of the story I was Juliet. I felt her turmoil and emotions and every trouble or triumph as they arrived. This story was very different and had quite a few little but unexpected twists that made it...

Katie:
I absolutely loved this book, there was so much passion and love behind every character and their story. Everything about this book I loved, from beginning to end. I can’t wait to read more from you as an author. I highly recommend this book.

KerryMI:
One would think the idea of vampire loving man has been over flogged, yet this story's fresh perspective on Vampires, how they live and how they connect with humans is so effortlessly narrated that it almost becomes truth. Your writing was fast enough to keep me greedily turning each page but slo...

William Elliott Kern:
Long story, the plot uncovered midway through the story. From beginning, the story was fast moving. Then dragged on for quite some time. The Author was good in describing her characters, their clothing, etc. but a lot of that disclosure distracted from the story moving fast.Not withstanding, the...

Ro-Ange Olson:
This is such a different romance story. I loved it. The book was very long and could be split into 2-3 books in my opinion, but I'd hate to have to wait to read the next part too. I loved the chapter from Darius's point of view. It was a really different way for the writer to cover time and also ...

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